Italy has it all, history, culture and of course, food. You’ll want to experience all three on your travels, but it’s hard to top the experience of eating Italian food in Italy. It’s nothing like you will have tried at home. Nothing can compare.
But finding the best food in Italy isn’t always easy, particularly in the most popular tourist destinations at the peak of the travel season.
That’s why I recommend starting with a gourmet tour on your arrival to a new destination.
This is where you’ll get tips, personal recommendations from locals, and an understanding of what to look for when searching for authentic regional cuisine.
The best way to begin is by taking either a walking food tour, a cooking class or spending a couple of hours wandering around one of Italy’s famous farmers’ markets.
Below are a few tours and recommendations to get you started organising a great foodie experience in Italy.
Food Tours in Italy
Food tours often run for four or five hours with small groups or even in a private group.
You’ll get to sample a number of different meals, snacks, desserts, wine or maybe even coffee.
All local specialties and typically handmade, artisanal, organic or fair trade.
Food tours are great in that you also get a guided tour of the city as you walk around.
When you’re next in Italy, book a walking food tour in one of the country’s foodie cities like Bologna, Milan or Rome.
Rome Street Food Tour
The most popular and highly rated food tour in all of Italy takes you through the streets of Rome. You’ll get to try local delicacies such as suppli, cured meats, vegetarian dishes, pizza and gelato. A highlight of this tour is the seasonal dishes you will enjoy at a restaurant in Rome’s historic Jewish Quarter. Learn more…
Italian Farmers Markets
You don’t have to take a tour to explore one of Italy’s famous fresh markets. Simply walk around, buy a few samples or pick up picnic supplies for later.
If you want to know the history and hidden specialties, a guided market tour will provide you with added insight into the local experience.
Venice Local Market Tour
Venice has one of the most incredible city markets in the world, the Rialto Market. The quality and variety of fruits and vegetables are outstanding, everything is so incredibly fresh. Of course, in Venice, seafood is one of the highlights. You can buy freshly cooked meals or take some home to prepare in your apartment. Learn more…
Cooking Class in Italy
There is nowhere better to take a cooking class than in Italy. Immerse yourself in the local cuisine with an incredible, unique experience and the skills to recreate your favourite dishes at home.
Verona Cooking Class
You might not think of heading to Verona until you discover it’s less than an hour from Bologna, the foodie capital of all of Italy. Use the freshest local ingredients to make handmade pasta and delicious tiramisu from scratch. Learn more…
There are hundreds of gourmet experiences around Italy. Almost every city offers a food tour, a great way to discover a city and its people.
If you have any questions or would like to leave a tour review, please do so in the comments.
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Recommendations are independently chosen by our travel editors. This post contains affiliate links to tours in Italy. This means I get a small commission from any bookings at no extra cost to you.
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